Sheet-feeding mechanism.



R. G. CLARK.

SHEETFEEDING mtcmmsm. APPLICATION nuzu SEPT. 4. 1915.

Patented May 8,1917.

2 sums-mu a R. G. CLARK. 'SHEETFEEDING MECHANISM kPPLICATION FILED SEPT.4. I915.

UNITED STATESQPAYT nonnm e. CLARK, or'nnooxmm, m YORK.

snnnr-rnnnme' uncnmrsm.

Specification 0! Letters 1atent.- Patntd MayB, 1917 Application tiledSeptember 4, 1915. ,BerialNo. 48,977.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, Bonner Ga CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in thecount of Kings, city andState of, New York, ave invented. new and useful Improvements inSheet-Feeding Mechanism,- of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism to separate and feedsheets or blanksfrom a pile to mechanism to operate upon such sheets or blanks, and itis the object of the invention to' provide a mechanism'of this characterwhich is simple and cheap in construction and efficient in operation,and which may be constructed-as an attachment to be applied to machinesfor operating upon the separated and fed sheets.

-VVhile I have shown in the drawings an embodiment of my invention asadapted to separateandfeed metallic sheets or blanks from a pile to beutilized as the blank feed ing mechanism 'of a can bod forming" or canmaking machine, it is to understood that it is applicable to other typesof apparatus and to' feed other than metallic Sheets orblanks. v. Incarrying out the invention I provide a carriage to reciprocate beneath apile of sheets or blanks, said carnage having means: to engage wlth and-move the lowermost sheet of the pile against an abutment to buckle thesheet, fingers pivoted on and movable with the carriage engaging withthe buckled portion of the sheetwhen the carriageis movedin a reversedirection to separate. and feed the sheet from the pile.

In the drawings-accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear portion of the framework of acanbody forming'machine illustrating an embodiment of my inventiou-appliedthereto.

Fig.2 is a sectional side elevation taken substantially on the lines A-Aof Fig.v 1.

Fig. is a perspective view. partly broken chmeyan'd.

t0 (3 rHIergcd sectional side away-and looking-at the rear of themaelevations taken s ubstantially on the line B ll of Fig. 1 and showingdifferent posit1ons; of the sheet separating and feeding means.

Similan'characters of reference designate like parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawin s.

' In the rawings I have shown an cmbodiment of my invention inconnection with a can body forming machine and as applied to the rear ofthe framework F thereof. A pile of sheets orblanks s .is supportedadjacentits side edgesupon bars7, 7 fixed to the framework and centrallythereof upon a bar 8 fixed to a reciprocablecarriage 9. The shee'ts areconfined between veitical side members 'IOQ-an'd at the. front edges bybars 11 carriedIby a crossbar 12 fixed at its ends to brackets 13mounted-on.

the framework. The, lower ends" of the bars 11 are free and extend to, apoint-slightlythe lowermost sheet of the ile. The

below rear edges of the sheet are confine by avertical bar 14a'djustably carried by ai cross,

bar 15 .by a bolt 16 engaging n an o ening 17 in said bar, the cross-barbeing xed at its ends to brackets 18 fixed to the framework, the; sidebars 10 also beingfixed to,

thecross bar 15. The lower end of the bar 14 is freeand extends to apoint so that it will. be above and clear the lowermost sheet,

of the pile as clearly shown in Fi 2 and 3 for a purpose tobehereinafterg scribed.

The support 8 iscarried by and reciprocated' with the carriage 9 whichis actuated by a crank 19 on a shaft '20 operated from any suitablesource, such as the main driving shaft of the machine, (not shown), thecarriage being,' connected "to the crank by a rod 21. It will beunderstood that the reciprocation of the carriage is so timed that itwill operate in proper timed sequence with the mechanism which the fedblanks or sheets.

During the latter'operationof the rearward movement of the carriage. andsupe port 8 a dog 22, which is in'thenature of a starting dog for thesheets.:uljustably seoperates upon cured by screw23 to the top oftliesupport 35 projections until they strike a bevel or cam 8 and havi'n itsforward edge'beveled or inclined as it own, engagesgwith the front edge,of the lowermost sheet and forces said sheet rearward for apredetermined dis- 'tanc'e, the rear edge'of the sheet during thismovement engaging with a bevel or cam face 24 on the lower end ofabutinents 25 in the form of bars carried by the cross bar 15. Theabutments extend to a oint below the 11 per surface of the centre suport 8 nd t e bevel extendsgdownward an rearward being at a pornt aboveand clearing tple lowermost sheet of the pile. As the s eet buckle orbent from the front to the rear A edge at opposite sides of the centralsupin th s position during the initial forward -moveinent of thecarriage and until they are engaged and pushed forward by resilientfingers? These fingers are pivotally suppo 6% at 28 u on the bars 26 andthe for- Ward "nds are orced upward bysprmgs 29, such ends in therearward position of the carriage engaging under projections 30extendingrearwardly from the abutments 25; During the initial forwardmovement of the carriage theseforward ends ride along'said face 31 onthe abutments opposite to the cam faces 24 with the extremities of thefingers above the rear portion of the sheet.

During the further forward movement of the carriage the forward endsof-the fingers will ride-down the cam faces" 31 with the undersurface ofan under cutportion of the fingers resting on the top of the sheet,whenthe fingers will ride under the abutments and along the uppersurface ofthe sheet,

separat ng sald sheet from the pile (as shown in Fig. 5) and until ashoulder 33 formed by the under cut portions engages with the rear edgeof the sheet when the sheet, is moved forward with the fingers, the

. lateral ends being buckled or bent over the central support 8 willreadily clear the bot lpasses below the abutments it istom of the bars11, the fingers 27 being'of such length so that the under faces of theabutments 25 will engage .with the fingers during the movement of thefingers under the stops '11. During ,the' continued forward movement thecentral portion of the sheet will ride up the inclined rear ends onguides 34 until it rests in its buckled condi-v tion upon a. fiatportion on said uides,-as

shown in Fig. 2, the pressure of 't 1e fingers on said sheet being thenreleased b the springs 29, forcing the fingers upwar into engagementwitlrthe extensions 30: of the abutm'ents 25, as shown in Fig. G -w I enthe carriage is returned and the nextsheet is engaged by the dog 22 torepeati tlje operation.

The guide 34 is in the form of 'ai pair of plates engaging at oppositesides of the central support 8 with the fiati-pprt-ion extending adistance somewhat above the iiog 22, thereby permitting thereturnmovement of said 'dog without interfering vi ith a fed. sheet.vUpon the next forwardmovement of the carriage dogs 35 carried by thebars 26 will engage the sheet on the guide jt moving it down the forwardinclined portiti'r'i" of the guides 34 to the position shown; at S inFig. 2'where it may be taken up by the means to operate upon the sheet."

By the adjustable supporting ,of the bar 14 In a vertical direction thedevice is,

1. Ina sheet feeder,- the combination of a support for a pile ofsheets;a'reciprocable carriage; means on said carriage-toengage with and move asheet from the pile when moving in one direction; means to engage withand buckle said sheet during said movement thereof; and means on said toengage with the buckled portion'l'of; the sheet when the carriage ismoved in reverse direction to separate and feed the from the .pile.

2. In a sheet feeder, the combin'ation'oi a support for] a pile ofsheets; a reciproca l le carriage; means on "said carriage to engagewith one edge of a sheet and move it from the pile when moving in onedirection; means to enia e with the opposite edge of the sheet an ucklethe'same during said movementof the sheet; and meanson said carriage toengage with the buckled portion of the sheet when the carriage is movedin reverse direction to separate and feed the sheet from the pile.

3. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means to support a pile ofsheets adjacent the sides; a reciprocable support for the carriage sheetcentral portion of the sheets; means carried 2 by said support to engagewith and move-a sheet from the pile when moved in one di-':

rection; means to bucklesaid sheet durin said movement thereof; andmeans carrie by said support'to engage with and separate 5" adapted forsheetsof different thickness. It;

V 4. In a sheet feeder, the combination with a support for-a pile ofsheets, of a reciprocable carriage; a-dog movablewith the carriage to enage with and move the lowermost sheet rom the pile for a predetermineddistance when the carriage is moved in one direction; means torengagewith and buckle said sheet during said movement; and fingers movablewiththe carriage to'engage over the buckled portion of the sheet when thecarriage is moved in a reverse direction to separate and feed the sheetfrom the pile.

5. In a sheet feeder, the combination with a support for a pile ofsheets, of a reciprocable dog to engage with the lowermost sheet of thepile and move it a predetermined distance in one direction; anabutmentwith which said sheet engages duri said movement to buckle the same; andngers movable with the dog to engage with the buckled portion of saidsheet when the dog is moved in-a reverse direction to separate and feedthe sheet from the pile.

6. In a sheet feeder, the combination with a support for a pile of.sheets, of a reciprocable dog 'toengage with one edge of the lowermostsheetof the pile and move it a predetermined distance when moved in onedirection; a pair, of abutments to engage witlrthe opposite edge of saidsheet as it is moved by the dog to buckle the sheet on opposite sides ofthe center thereof; and a pair of fingers movable with the dog to engagethe buckled portions of the sheet when the dog is moved in a reversedirection to separate and feed the sheet from the pile.

7. In av sheet feeder, the combination with a support for a plle ofsheets, of a reciprocable carriage; a dog movable with the carri'agetoengage: one edge of the lowermost sheet of the pile and move said sheeta predetermined distance when the carriage is moved in one direction; apair of .abnb

ments having on m faceswith which the oppo-- site end of the sheetengages during the said movei ncnt of the sheet to buckle the sheet atopposite sides of the center thereof; and a pair of resilient lingers onthe carriage to engage the edge and above the ,buckled portionsmf thesheet when the carriage moves in a reverse direction to separate andfeed the sheet from'the )ile.

8. In a sheet to carriage; a dog movablewith the carriage to engage oneedge of the lowermost sheet of the pile and move said sheet apredetermined distance when the carriage is moved in one direction; apair of abutments havzng cam faces with which the opposite edge of the i'slrcet engages during the saidmovemcntofi the sheet to-bnckle the sheetat oppositisides of the center thererfi; n pailof resilient lingers onthe carriage to pngagc the edge and above the buckled portions of thesheet ing and-feeding of a succeeding sheet;

faces to engage with the edge or, the combination with a support for apile of :-heets, of a reciprocahle when the carriage moves in a reversedirection to separate andfeed the sheet from the pile; and dogs mountedon the carriage to advance the previously fed sheet during the movementof the carriage and the separat- 9. In a sheet feeder; the combination,of a support to support a pile of sheets adjacent opposite sides; areclprocable carriage; .a bar fixed to and movable with the carriage to7 5 support the pile of sheets centrally thereof;

a dog fixed to said bar to engage with one edge of the lowermost sheetof=the pile and move said sheet a predetermined distance when thecarriage is moved in one direction; so a pair of abutmentshaving a camface to engage the edge of the sheet 0 posite to that with which thedog-enga es uring the said 'movement of the sheet to uckle the sheet atopposite sides of the bar; and fingers resiliently mounted on thecarriage. to engage.

with the buckledportions of the sheet to sepi arate and feed the sheetfrom the pile when the carriage is moved in a, reversedirection. 10. Ina sheet feeder, the combination of a support to support a pile of sheetsadjacent 0 posite sides; a reciprocable carriage; a bar xed to andmovable with the carriage to support the ile ofsheets centrally thereof;a dog fixed one edge of the lowermost sheet ofthe ile and move saidsheet a predetermined istance when the carria e is moved in onedirection; a pair of a utments having cam of the sheet opposite to thatwith whic the dog engages-during said movementof the'shet to .mckle thesheet at opposite sides of the bar, a l said abutments having rearwardprojec tions; a pair of fingers pivotally mounted on gaging below theabutment projections; springs, to force said fingers upward; saidfingers engaging with the edge and abovh. the buckled portions of thesheet, when thong carriage is moved in a reverse direction toseparate-and feed the sheet; and a second cam face on said abutmentswith which said fingers engage to cause them to clear the next adjacentsheet of the pile.

p 11. In a sheet feeder,-the combination of a support to support a pileof sheets adjacent opposite sides and centrally thereof; means to movethe lowermost sheet of the pile a predetermined distance in onedirection and no buckle said sheet atopposite sides of the 7 'centralsupport; and fingers to engage with to said bar to engage with 95 1'05the carriage with the free ends normallyen- Eoints; and means to engagewith the g -'uckled' portions of the sheet to move it in i 1 reversedirection to sepurete and feed the sheet from thepile.

I5 13. In in sheet feeder, the combination of a.

support for apile of sheets a reeiprocable dog to engage with and movethe lowermost sheet a predetermined distance from the pile; abutmentswith which said sheet eneges. during said movement to buckle the 10sheet; res'lientfingers movable with the dog to engage with thebuckled-portions of the sheet to moveit in a reverse direction toseparate and feed the sheet from the pile; and

a guide over which said sheet is moved to 15 permit the-return of thedog, substantially as and for the pur ose %ecified.

' I OB" RT G. CLARK.

